Eileen's Camp Crafts
POLYMER CLAY CHANUKAH DREIDELS
Chanukah Dreidels (Tops) are a tradition going back to the beginning of
Judaism.
The tops have 4 Hebrew Letters. Shin, Nun, Gimel & Hay. Standing for A GREAT
MIRACLE HAPPENED THERE. In Israel the letters change to A Great Miracle
happened here. When the Temple In Jerusalem was destroyed. The Jews returned to
light the eternal Lamp and the oil lasted for 8 days instead of one.
See my Jewish Fun or my
Jewish Parent page for more on
the Holiday. See my Clay page for rules of handling polymer clay.
For more Chanukah craft ideas see ShalomBoston.com's Chanukah edition 2000.
It
features an article I wrote.Look for a Chanukah 2001 article.  See my new Chanukah Pages Original
Crafts and more! Links to many other Chanukah sites.
Materials needed: Aluminum FoilSculpey Clay (white sold in
2pound boxes.) Assorted Sculpey3 cane slices or other commerical
slices. Or see my Clay page on how to make canes.Scraps of clay. (For
letters.)Sculpey Glaze or Future Floor Wax.Friendly Clay Gold
powder.(Optional)Parchment Paper. (baking paper see cake aisle in
grocery store.)Slicer for canes. Pryrex dish or metal cookie
sheets.Pasta Machine. (optional) or small clay rolling pin.
Size of dreidel is up to you or your budget. The aluminum foil helps to
cut down cost of dreidel and makes it lighter to play with. (More Fragile?)
Take aluminum foil and rip off a large sheet about 12 inches long. Squeeze
into ball and move some of the foil into the stem. Flatten into 4 sided
square and leave a point on bottom of form. Roll out the white Sculpey or use Pasta Machine in a sheet 1/4 inch thich and
big enough to cover the aluminum foil. Flaten the dreidel until you have 4
flat sides. Add Cane slices until the white is covered. Roll in your hand to
smooth the canes together. Take polymer clay
scraps and roll into thin snakes and form the letters. Press gently one on
each side. Bake on parchment paper. (See clay package for temperatures.)
Optional: After cooling, Brush on Gold powder carefully.
(A little goes a long way.) Brush on Sculpey glaze: Matte, Gloss. Or use Future Floor
Wax.
Mini Dreidel Charms
The same technique can be made in minature for dreidel
charms for necklaces and earrings. It is very hard though to make two
perfectly matched ones for earrings... but it is possible. Before baking
put jewelry metal pin with loop into clay. Jump ring can be added after
baking.
Dreidels can have themes too! Canes of one type can be
used. I did a great one with all face canes. The commercial canes come in
many different designs: Flowers, frogs, rainbows etc.. Have fun!
COMING
SOON HOW TO MAKE FILAGREE CLAY DREIDEL JEWELRY!
To see/buy Dreidels and Dreidel Jewelry of Polymer Clay or Friendly Plastic
go to our sponsor. Chadis Crafts and
Kippot
| 
Now offers Machine embroidery crafts and custom work.